But maybe not doing laundry as often is better than feeling like an emotionless zombie… medication affects people differently. Maybe “just” coping and surviving is better than being “normal” and productive for some people.

Yea, I’m with you, nah, I need my medication. At least a small dose. I only take 15mg a day anyway

Yep so the doctor would recommend a service to do your laundry, leaves you more “me time” to handle the stress. Taking medication has side effects as well, very few of them are fun. My kid hasn’t gained a pound in a year since starting his medication. Sure it helps him focus, but he’s now falling behind on his growth and has trouble sleeping through the night. You’re trading problems for other problems. Medication is not some magic fix all, that’s pure ignorance.

It’s funny that you think a doctor knows less than you…….

Consider replacing your washer with a fire pit. You’ll find dealing with your laundry less of a chore, because fire.

I’m not saying I agree with the current state of the drug war, I just think the state should have the power to snatch you up and put you in treatment if you’re clearly addicted and constantly using hard drugs like heroin, meth, crack. I spent half my life in NJ and the other half in Iowa so I’ve seen how hard drugs like meth & crack could completely destroy people from varying ethnicities & socioeconomic backgrounds.

And Seattle did decriminalize drugs only to go back to making it illegal, because their streets started filling up with junkies and ruining their city. Some drugs deserve to be illegal to be served to humans because of how it completely destroys them, it’s just much better for society to lock people up and force them to be sober then for a state to willingly serve poison to its citizens. And if you think alcohol is addictive as meth or crack then you’re the one who’s utterly naive.

Which of those are you still on, if you think that experience was typical?

You’re right about that but weed is a carcinogen too, & as far as I know LSD and most psychedelics are non toxic and don’t cause cancer so there’s a bigger argument to be made about them being legalized.

You’re thinking of older generations that weren’t properly educated on the harms of alcohol use and didn’t have safer alternatives like cannabis. Gen Z or zoomers actually drink less. And alcohol has never crippled society or been detrimental to a large groups of people in society. but opiates and meth have both had significant and detrimental impacts on various societies throughout history. Here are some examples of how these substances have harmed societies:

1. The Opioid Epidemic in the United States: This crisis has strained healthcare systems, law enforcement, and social services. The economic burden associated with opioid addiction and its consequences is substantial.

2. The Opium Wars in China: In the 19th century, China was ravaged by the Opium Wars, during which the British Empire and other European powers forced China to open its markets to opium trade. The opium trade led to widespread addiction and social problems in Chinese society. The opium wars and the subsequent opium addiction crisis had far-reaching social and economic consequences, leading to the degradation of Chinese society and the weakening of the Qing Dynasty.

3. Methamphetamine in Japan during World War II: During World War II, the Japanese government distributed methamphetamine pills (known as “Philopon” in Japan) to soldiers and civilians. This widespread methamphetamine use had disastrous effects on Japanese society. It led to addiction, health issues, and a breakdown of social and familial structures. The consequences of this drug use persisted long after the war.

4. Methamphetamine in the United States: Methamphetamine, commonly known as “meth,” has had a significant negative impact on American society. The production and use of methamphetamine have led to public health problems, crime, and environmental damage. Meth addiction has torn families apart, and the associated crimes and social problems have placed a heavy burden on law enforcement and the healthcare system.

5. Afghanistan’s Opium Production: Afghanistan has been a major global producer of opium for many years. The opium trade has funded insurgency, corruption, and violence in the country. The availability of cheap opiates has also contributed to addiction problems both in Afghanistan and among international drug users.

The consequences include addiction, health problems, family disruption, crime, and economic burdens. Efforts to address these issues often involve a combination of public health initiatives, law enforcement measures, and harm reduction strategies to mitigate the negative impact of these substances on society.

Coca needs equatorial latitudes and high altitudes, so even the Mexican mountains probably don’t grow it that well. I’ve long thought the New Guinean highlands would be a great place to grow coca. As for khat, it should be growable in the southwest US.

I don’t know Coca very well, but I have known marijuana growers and the lengths they’re willing to go for their crops even now suggests to me coca could be profitable. I knew a guy a few years ago who had a license to wholesale (whatever they call it) in his own state. Small warehouse that’s fully temperature and humidity-controlled with grow lights, with a carbon dioxide injection system. His electric bills were massive, but his profit margins were more than sufficient.

Would you say cocaine has tighter margins than pot? I would believe that maybe, but I don’t know for a fact.

Sure, and I agree, but what your approach is forgetting is that you’re not a dictator who can change the laws at will, and the people must still obey them

There’s two types of philosophy about the law. There’s the philosophy that laws are meant to be followed for organized society. Then there’s the philosophy that laws are about taking (or reclaiming) antisocial elements out of society. The former has always been toxic to me. The latter would say "if a law says something useless or wrong, you should be changing it instead of mindlessly obeying it)

And “people must still obey them” is simply untrue. The fact that people won’t obey bad laws is exactly what leads us to this situation.

Politics takes time, and the community won’t let any democratic government force revolutionary new laws on them without trying them out first. So decriminalisation is the first step.

As I said elsewhere, making the black market stronger isn’t necessarily a step in the right direction. Politics aside, I think someone needs to get their head out of their ass and find a better way to get from “illegal” to “legal” without going through “organized crime paradise”

People aren’t responsible enough to go in and buy weed and only use it for medicinal purposes.

People aren’t responsible enough to not drink enough water to kill themselves, too. What’s your point? Are you planning to have the government regulate food intake as well? Ban hamburgers?

Luckily you can’t OD on weed, and the psychosis rate even at high dosages is extremely low compared to other drug acute reactions (like coffee). If we’re going to legalize anything, it should be weed. Even before fried food.

If we did that, Trump supporters would use it to get ivermectin for their kids.

I’d rather they give their kid ivermectin (with a pharmacist telling them they shouldn’t) than them giving them a spoonful of lysol. Or are you suggesting we stop people from being able to buy lysol and bleach?

We cannot stop a bad parent from having access to things that harm their kids, we can only educate them and take the children from them if they are unfit to parent their child.